The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-18

'Tis hard, indeed, if nothing will defend
Mankind from quarrels but their fatal end;
That now and then hero must deceaSe
That the surviving world max live in pecce.
Perhaps, at last, close scrutiny may show
The practice dastardly, and mean, and low;
That men engage in it, compelled by force,
And fear, not courage, is its proper source;
The fear of tyrant custom, and the fear
Lest tops should censure us, and fools should
sheer,
At least to trample on our Makers laws.
And hazard life for any or no cause
Six o'clock AS two of the town bells
simultaneously chimed forth the hour, Vir-
gil arose from the lounge on which he had
been lying for the last half an hour and be-
gan to pace the floor.
All arrangements for duel between him
self and Marvin were completed, and at
sunrise on the morrow the two were to meet
on the so-called field of honor" Oh, what
would the next twenty-four hours bring
forths Would o'clock of tomorrow after
noon find him cold in death, Or NOR than
that, would it find him murderer! Heaven
forbid! All on sudden he realized the
horror of his situation-the sinfulness Of the
step he was about to take. Perspiration
came out i'll great cold drops upon his brow
wild, miserable look settled upon his face,
and from his lips issued forth deep groan.
Oh, what terrible mistake he had made
w
tianity by accepting a challenge to fight a
duell Why had he not returned the chal-
lenge to the parvenu who had sent it and
thrashed him for his insolences If he
should kill his antagonist could he ever be
happy agains And if he himself should be
killed. what hope would he have of enter
ing into that rest that remaineth for the
people of God,n when he had gone upon the
duelling field with a murderous intention
Noa bn found SsfboS
multitude of all nations and kindreds and
people and tongues that stand before the
throne and before the Lamb, clothed with
robes and with palms in their hands,"
Never!
"Oh, God, don't forsake mer he cried,
with a tortured, imploring glance upward.
Then, scarcely knowing what he was do
ing, he put on his hat and passed down into
the street. Up Main to Cherry, down the
latter street to Hollywood, he wended his
way, as if drawn by an irresistible impulse,
until he stood beside his mothers tomb.
He wiped the perspiration from his face
and stood a moment in perfect silence.
Then as the sweet face of his mother arose
before hinl-or rather seemed to rise-he
dropped upon the curbing and wept unre-
STRANGELY for more than five minutes. The
sorrows of his boyhood could not be com
pared With the misery he now endured.
another His present anguish sprung from
the consciousness that he was about to break
one of his Makers commandments
The rays from the setting sun streamed
through the branches OF a majestic OAK and
fell i'll soft, golden arrows on the words on
Mrs. Paine's monument, "And Her Rest
Shall Be Glorious" Ii lie should Ue killed
by mis- antagonist, would his rest be glori-
ous2 If loving FRIENDS should erect above
l.. Il a. null
appropriately carve the con the words,
"And His Rest Shall BE Glorious" AS MS
conscience was putting these and other
questions TO him, Virgil heard quick step
near him He turned and saw Pauline com
ing swiftly toward him. Her face was as
white as ia marble tombs about her; her
ewes wore troubled expression, and her
whole manner told at glance that she was
in a state of great agitation.
"Oh. Virgil Virgilm she exclaimed, and
with his name upon her lips she dropped on
the curbing beside him and buried her face
in her hands.
"What is the matter, Paulies" he inquired,
kindly. HAS anything frightened youl
Has anybody dared to insult my little sis
ter9'
''Oh, no." she answered, looking up in his
face. "Virgil, is it truen
SIS what true Pauline~
tThat you have so far forgotten Christ
and his religion as to think of resorting TO
the barbarous code as a means Of obtaining
satisfaction for an insultP'
Virgil did not reply at once.
ANSWER me, Virgil Panel" cried the
girl, provoked at his silence "Oh, Virgil,
Is it soY'
at is, Pauline he replied, with panied
expression. "But what busy body has been
meddling himself with my affairs"
II called on Florine an hour ago, and
found her heart-br3ken. Poor grill She
tole me of all her trouble. and expressed
her fears that the difficulty between you